Dr Diane Willis
| Biography | I am a lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University and hold professional qualifications as a registered nurse and as a psychologist. I have an honorary contract with NHS Borders. My previous experience ranges from posts as a Research Fellow, Practice Education Facilitator, Equality Officer to lecturer. I have work in several Universities, the NHS and Non-Governmental Organisations. My primary research interest lies in the field of intellectual disability especially inequalities in cancer care, bereavement and women’s issues. I am passionate to reduce inequalities in health and social care for those considered to be from a vulnerable community. I also have interests in welfare reform, bereavement (more widely), health and social care workforce and using the arts to support my work. My work on the menopause in women with intellectual disabilities contributed to the NICE guidelines NG96: Care and support of people growing older with learning disabilities and has been introduced as a question in the Annual health checks checks for people with learning disabilities for the first time. With colleagues in practice we are also currently exploring further work in this area and exploring grants. My work on cancer and cancer screening in people with intellectual disabilities has provided the definitive literature reviews in this area and my research has contributed to the knowledge. Working with the Screening and Early Detection Team, NHS Lothian Public Health and Health Policy we have undertaken work exploring informed choice and access to cancer screening services for people with intellectual disabilities and those from the Black and ethnic communities. This work lead on to developing an an accessible screening website. Diane also organised an international conference: The 3rd Symposium on Cancer and cancer screening in people with intellectual disabilities at Edinburgh Napier University and been on the committees of previous International Symposiums. As part of the cancer journey Diane also explored supporting people with intellectual disabilities to discuss death and dying through her work on Life, Death and Lilies. This was a public engagement project to be more open to discussing death and dying. Further funding for a film was secured about how to discuss death and dying and highlighted how people with intellectual disabilities experience death using an arts approach to explain their feelings and experience. This has led on to submitting a grant for a PhD student. With another small grant Diane developed two easy read books with Family Advice and Information Resource. I am Chair for Family Advice and Information Resource (FAIR) and am a board member on The Society of Cancer and Cancer Screening for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. I am also a volunteer swimming instructor and hold a professional dive licence. I sit on a number of groups including the Learning Disability East Managed Care Network, Excellence in Care Academic Advisory Group and Future Nurse steering group (NHS Borders). |
|---|---|
| Research Interests | My research interests are health inequalities, cancer in people with intellectual disabilities, women's health, bereavement. I work with the health and social care sector on a number of projects and enjoy working with organisations on a one to one basis. |
| PhD Supervision Availability | Yes |
| PhD Topics | Intellectual disability and cancer. Intellectual disability and the right to vote and political engagement. Bereavement issues in the health and social care sector. |